Our dear father of blessed memory, in his return from Scotland, coming
through Lancashire, found that his subjects were debarred from lawful
recreations upon Sundays after evening prayers ended, and upon Holy-days; and
he prudently considered that, if these times were taken from them, the meaner
sort who labour hard all the week should have no recreations at all to refresh
their spirits: and after his return, he further saw that his loyal subjects in
all other parts of his kingdom did suffer in the same kind, though perhaps not
in the same degree: and did therefore in his princely wisdom publish a
Declaration to all his loving subjects concerning lawful sports to be used at
such times, which was printed and published by his royal commandment in the
year 1618, in the tenor which hereafter followeth:

Whereas upon our return the last year out of Scotland, we did publish
our pleasure touching the recreations of our people in those parts under our
hand; for some causes us thereunto moving, we have thought good to command
these our directions then given in Lancashire, with a few words thereunto
added, and most appliable to these parts of our realms, to be published to all
our subjects.

Whereas we did justly in our progress through Lancashire rebuke some
Puritans and precise people, and took order that the like unlawful carriage
should not be used by any of them hereafter, in the prohibiting and unlawful
punishing of our good people for using their lawful recreations and honest
exercises upon Sundays, and other Holy-days, after the afternoon sermon or
service, we now find that two sorts of people wherewith that country is much
infected, we mean Papists and Puritans, have maliciously traduced and
calumniated those our just and honourable proceedings: and therefore, lest our
reputation might upon the one side (though innocently) have some aspersion laid
upon it, and that upon the other part our good people in that country be misled
by the mistaking and misinterpretation of our meaning, we have therefore
thought good hereby to clear and make our pleasure to be manifested to all our
good people in those parts.

It is true that at our first entry to this Crown and kingdom we were
informed, and that too truly, that our county of Lancashire abounded more in
Popish Recusants than any county of England, and thus hath still continued
since, to our great regret, with little amendment, save that, now of late, in
our last riding through our said country, we find both by the report of the
Judges, and of the Bishop of that Diocese, that there is some amendment now
daily beginning, which is no small contentment to us.

The report of this growing amendment amongst them made us the more
sorry, when with our own ears we heard the general complaint of our people,
that they were barred from all lawful recreations and exercise upon the
Sunday's afternoon, after the ending of all divine service, which cannot but
produce two evils: the one the hindering of the conversion of many, whom their
priests will take occasion hereby to vex, persuading them that no honest mirth
or recreation is lawful or tolerable in our religion, which cannot but breed a
great discontentment in our people's hearts, especially of such as are
peradventure upon the point of turning: the other inconvenience is, that this
prohibition barreth the common and meaner sort of people from using such
exercises as may make their bodies more able for war, when His Majesty or his
successors shall have occasion to use them; and in place thereof sets up filthy
tippling and drunkenness, and breeds a number of idle and discontented speeches
in their ale-houses. For when shall the common people have leave to exercise,
if not upon the Sundays and Holy-days, seeing they must apply their labour and
win their living in all working-days?

Our express pleasure therefore is, that the laws of our kingdom and
canons of the Church be as well observed in that county, as in all other places
of this our kingdom: and on the other part, that no lawful recreation shall be
barred to our good people, which shall not tend to the breach of our aforesaid
laws and canons of our Church: which to express more particularly, our pleasure
is, that the Bishop, and all other inferior churchmen and churchwardens, shall
for their parts be careful and diligent, both to instruct the ignorant, and
convince and reform them that are misled in religion, presenting them that will
not conform themselves, but obstinately stand out, to our Judges and Justices:
whom we likewise command to put the law in due execution against them.

Our pleasure likewise is, that the Bishop of that Diocese take the like
strait order with all the Puritans and Precisians within the same, either
constraining them to conform themselves or to leave the county, according to
the laws of our kingdom and canons of our Church, and so to strike equally on
both hands against the contemners of our authority and adversaries of our
Church; and as for our good people's lawful recreation, our pleasure likewise
is, that after the end of divine service our good people be not disturbed,
letted or discouraged from any lawful recreation, such as dancing, either men
or women; archery for men, leaping, vaulting, or any other such harmless
recreation, nor from having of May-games, Whitsun-ales, and Morris-dances; and
the setting up of May-poles and other sports therewith used: so as the same be
had in due and convenient time, without impediment or neglect of divine
service: and that women shall have leave to carry rushes to the church for the
decorating of it, according to their old custom; but withal we do here account
still as prohibited all unlawful games to be used upon Sundays only, as bear
and bull-baitings, interludes and at all times in the meaner sort of people by
law prohibited, bowling.[2]

And likewise we bar from this benefit and liberty all such known
Recusants, either men or women, as will abstain from coming to church or divine
service, being therefore unworthy of any lawful recreation after the said
service, that will not first come to the church and serve God: prohibiting in
like sort the said recreations to any that, though conform in religion, are not
present in the church at the service of God, before their going to the said
recreations. Our pleasure likewise is, that they to whom it belongeth in
office, shall present and sharply punish all such, as in abuse of this our
liberty, will use these exercises before the end of all divine services for
that day: and we likewise straightly command that every person shall resort to
his own parish church to hear divine service, and each parish by itself to use
the said recreation after divine service: prohibiting likewise any offensive
weapons to be carried or used in the said times of recreation: and our pleasure
is, that this our Declaration shall be published by order from the Bishop of
the Diocese, through all the parish churches, and that both our Judges of our
circuit and our Justices of our Peace be informed thereof.

Given at our Manor of Greenwich the four and twentieth day of May, in
the sixteenth year of our Reign, of England, France and Ireland; and of
Scotland the one and fiftieth.

Now out of a like pious care for the service of God, and for suppressing
of any humours that oppose truth, and for the ease, comfort and recreation of
our well-deserving people, His Majesty doth ratify and publish this our blessed
father's Declaration: the rather, because of late in some counties of our
kingdom, we find that under pretence of taking away abuses, there hath been a
general forbidding, not only of ordinary meetings, but of the Feasts of the
Dedication of the Churches, commonly called Wakes. Now our express will and
pleasure is, that these Feasts, with others, shall be observed, and that our
Justices of the Peace, in their several divisions, shall look to it, both that
all disorders there may be prevented or punished, and that all neighbourhood
and freedom, with manlike and lawful exercises be used: and we further command
all Justices of Assize in their several circuits to see that no man do trouble
or molest any of our loyal and dutiful people, in or for their lawful
recreations, having first done their duty to God, and continuing in obedience
to us and our laws: and for this we command all our Judges, Justices of Peace,
as well within liberties as without, Mayors, Bailiffs, Constables, and other
officers, to take notice of, and to see observed, as they tender our
displeasure. And we further will that publication of this our command be made
by order from the Bishops, through all the parish churches of their several
dioceses respectively.

Given at our Palace of Westminster, the eighteenth day of October, in
the ninth year of our Reign.

God save the King

[1] The fall title is, ' The King's Majesty's declaration to
his subjects concerning lawful sports to be used. Imprinted at Lond. by Robert
Barker, Printer to the King's most excellent Majesty: and by the Assigns of
Robert Bill, m.dc.xxxiii.'